The Academy’s Weapon Replicator - Chapter 199

Chapter 66: Bluff

‘I think the provocation worked well.’

Cold sweat broke out on Edwin’s back.

I abandoned my faith because I was deceived by God. I have a lot of bad feelings, but fear is still a separate issue.

‘It’s nice to say this to God, Frondier.’

Edwin smiled as he remembered someone’s sleepy face. He remembers what Frondier said to Hephaestus, who was his divine power during the Golem incident.

The one word I blurted out, ‘Get out of here.’

After that incident, Edwin also learned something.

Gods are quite similar to humans except for their powers. As Frontier said before.

There are emotions such as anger, contempt, joy, and embarrassment, and they can appear from the smallest things. Humans have witnessed God’s unrivaled mighty miracles and even create their own image of God himself, but the gods do not really match that noble image.

—Edwin Are you really trying to mock God?

[I already did.]

Edwin answered and glanced at the woman next to him. Probably a user of Roach Mansion. It looks like he’s still sleeping, so he probably doesn’t remember what happened.

‘But I never thought Hypnos would be the first person to use this function.’

Edwin was a little troubled.

As for Constel’s top prospect, Aster Evans, everyone knows why he is a prospect. In addition to talent, skill, sincerity, character, and network, he also has the divine power called ‘Baldur’.

Therefore, everyone in Constel knows what the power of Pielot, who is said to be the next promising star, is.

‘What are you thinking, Pielot?’

The real enemy now is not Hypnos. It is Pielot who receives his divine power.

—I can’t do anything about you right now, but do you think you’ll be safe forever? Know your topic Edwin!

Hypnos growled. Well, it’s not a pleasant thing to be admired by God.

[I was quite scared by that too.]

Edwin scratched his cheek. It’s definitely scary to be picked on by God. Not only Edwin, but all the people on this continent fear the ‘celestial punishment’ from God.

[I would ask the opposite question]

But there is one obvious fact that Edwin now knows.

[Why do the gods leave Frontier alone?]

—…!

Hypnos’ expression changed. Yeah, you know what this means.

[I thought it was strange for a long time. When Hephaestus incited me, Frondeer had not done anything particularly blasphemous. Nevertheless, Hephaestus tried to kill Frondier. Whatever the reason, it means that Frondier was taken by the gods long before I ever met him.]

But Frondier defeated Hephaestus. Of course, I wasn’t dealing with the real Hephaestus. I just borrowed the bodies of Edwin and the Golem.

If so, then of course he will try to take action ‘directly’. Edwin does not know all of Frontier’s power, but he is only an individual. If a god came, he could have killed him at any time.

‘Either the conditions for God’s descent are more difficult than I thought.’

Edwin said.

[Is he unable to descend for some reason?]

Edwin tried it out loud as a test. I was wondering if I could get more information from Hypnos.

However, Hypnos did not even move at this question. There wasn’t even a slight tremor around the eyes.

—Just because Frontier is still alive doesn’t mean he’ll be fine in the future. He will meet a terrible end. Same goes for you, Edwin.

Rather, Hypnos spoke as if he hadn’t heard anything.

Edwin laughed bitterly to himself.

‘It’s a shame. I wanted to go with better information.’

As Edwin, he couldn’t see through Hypnos’ poker face.

Instead he said.

[I guess so.]

—What?

[The gods only manipulate humans and have never been harmed by them.]

Therefore, you will not be able to understand Edwin’s feelings.

It felt like it was of its own volition, but the existence of God was secretly encouraging it from behind. I never want to feel that way again. It was a feeling of not being myself.

[It is better to die than to feel that feeling again.]

—Your words will reach the ears of all the gods.

[Listen. When the conversation is over, leave the black lotus back. Unless you want to make Pielot the subject of Constell’s ridicule.]

Edwin has worked with Hephaestus before, so he knows the attributes of the god well. Although it is said to be the object of divine power, it is quite rare for a god to do something like this to a single human being. Usually, they only lend a little strength when humans want, but they do not move on their own. Hypnos must have really liked Pielot.

So, I won’t do anything that could harm Pielot.

—Remember that, Edwin. Your lifespan won’t be long….

Crack!

Before Hephaestus could finish speaking, Edwin, who appeared as a hologram, disappeared.

“…what.”

Edwin tilted his head when he saw that the hologram had ended in his house.

Have I been talking too long? It seemed like the hologram installed on the black lotus had run out of magic.

“This wasn’t my intention.”

I think I can hear Hypnos grinding his molars because Edwin disappeared after chewing his words.

* * *

The next day.

Frondier followed Edwin’s call and stopped by Teacher Binkis’ laboratory.

“…ha.”

After hearing Edwin’s entire story, Frondier already felt a headache.

Pielot is a character who has a very high chance of turning into a villain if his arrogance is left alone. Players describe this as ‘corruption’.

Originally, it was identified as a purple haze, but in fact, it was not a sign of corruption but rather signified divine intervention. The formula ‘God’s intervention = corruption’ has only been established so far to the point that players are mistaken.

‘In order to correct that arrogance, he showed the difference in skill, so this time he turned to crime.’

What’s the rush? Pielot.

Everyone will recognize your talent and you yourself will know it well.

Frontier knows that if you take the time to grow steadily, you will truly grow to a level comparable to Aster. He saw it with his own eyes. Pielot’s strength after growing up.

“Thank you, senior Edwin. I really didn’t know they had such a device attached to the Black Lotus. “I will definitely repay this debt.”

“it’s okay. Because I have paid your debt. “Security is only meaningful if you don’t know about it.”

It was as he said.

Edwin himself appears as a hologram and can witness the face of the culprit who stole it. It was a method Frontier had never thought of.

Thanks to this, even if I lost the black lotus, I was able to easily get it back.

“He is indeed the god of sleep. “I slept really well.”

“Because it is the power of God, it will be difficult for unprepared humans to resist it. Even if you prepare for it, the same thing applies. It’ll be okay for a while though. “He won’t do the same thing again as long as he knows I exist.”

“Wouldn’t Hypnos change his mind and try to kill me?”

Hypnos’ ability to put people to sleep is literally the power of a god. Frontier slept without even knowing that the black lotus was actually being stolen. Thanks to this, the fatigue that had accumulated due to my sensitive body was relieved.

The reason it fell asleep so easily may be because Frondier’s body was hoping for sleep, but can preparations prevent it from falling asleep? I want to trust his sixth sense, but it’s true that I’m uneasy because he actually fell asleep.

“are you okay. Because Hypnos’ limits are clear.”

Edwin said. He personally witnessed the mansion’s occupants being controlled by Hypnos.

“Hypnos uses sleepwalking to manipulate people. When I saw the person being treated, his entire body was limp and limp. “You probably won’t be able to apply that much force, and if you force it, it will wake up.”

When Edwin saw it, the occupants of the mansion really looked like people who were sleepwalking. Since it was about using that power, Hypnos’ limitations were clear.

Hypnos is the god of sleep. In other words, ‘sleep’ is his domain and is powerful enough to put Frondier to sleep, but reality is not his domain.

“Then what are you going to do, Frontier? “I leave it up to you to decide, but I don’t think you should leave Pielot alone.”

“That’s not possible.”

Frontier nodded.

No matter what Pielot himself may think of Frondier, Pielot is an important combatant to Frondier.

Above all, Pielot is strong even without Hypnos. Not immediately, but it will definitely happen in the future.

‘And I can’t bring this up.’

Moreover, Frontier has one more plan.

‘Hypnos is Thanatos’ twin brother.’

Thanatos, whom Frontiere met for the first time and tried to kill him.

Frondier barely saved his life by calling Thanatos’ name at the time. Thanatos was wary of Frondier, who knew his identity, and was worried that there might be a god who supported Frondier, so he withdrew.

And now.

Thanatos has not yet appeared.

‘Hestia said it before. Even the gods are in conflict right now.’

Frontier will definitely be involved in that confrontation. And because of that confrontation, there is a possibility that Thanatos still believes in Frondier’s bluff.

‘If Thanatos really believes I’m in contact with some god.’

Frontier himself made it that way.

‘Who does Thanatos guess the god is?’

If the conflict between the gods includes the treatment of Frondier, Thanatos will naturally be suspicious of the god who is trying to protect Frondier.

In other words, the god Thanatos suspects is Frondier’s ally.

‘If you use Pielot to trick Hypnos.’

I think I can recruit allies even among gods.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pielot was taking classes at Constel with the feeling that his intestines were cut out.

They failed to retrieve the black lotus and discovered that it was Hypnos’s doing. I thought there was no way it would ever be discovered, but since Hypnos himself said it, there was no doubt about it.

‘I can’t believe there’s such a device.’

The person who noticed Pielot’s crime was not Frontier, but a third-year senior named Edwin.

To be honest, this is my first time hearing it. However, the ‘Behertio family’ was familiar in that his full name was Edwin von Behertio. I heard that it used to be a prestigious family with a tremendous reputation, but has now fallen.

A hologram that activates when someone other than the owner gets hold of the item. Is this something a student could make? Moreover, since that is not the main function of the black lotus, it was added as a side function.

‘Why? ‘Does Sloth have more companions than I thought?’

Pielot bit her lip.

Hypnos says the rumor will not spread to Constel, but what will happen in reality?

‘If I get caught, I’m done.’

Pielot walked with feigned composure. He thought he had a good poker face, but he actually wasn’t. There just hasn’t been an incident so far that could shake his mind.

It seems like every student passing by is whispering to them. Of course, there was nothing like that in reality; rather, the students were still looking at Pielot with interest and favor, but Pielot himself could not notice.

at that time.

Caw—

A crow sat down next to the wall I was walking on at a strange time and croaked.

“…?”

Pielot saw a crow. It was common for a crow to caw, but it was not common for a crow to caw while sitting right next to Pielot and looking directly at Pielot.

“uh?”

Finally, the crow flew over and sat on Pielot’s shoulder. Pielot was a little surprised, but then he discovered the note tied around the crow’s neck.

Someone used a crow to deliver a message to him.

Although Pielot was reluctant, he took out the note and unfolded it.

The content was short.

[Come to the personal training room after school. Because I have something to talk about.]

Suddenly, I felt like the world was turning black.

It didn’t say who sent it, but it was obvious who it was.

The person who wrote it probably knew that, so he didn’t write his name down.

* * *

Pielot scanned the rooms of the personal training room.

As expected, I checked the room with Frontier inside.

When Pielot stood in front of the door of the room where Frontier was, the door opened as if he had been waiting.

“come in.”

“…yes.”

Frontier’s expression and voice were nothing like usual. I don’t know if I’ve heard about Hypnos or not.

Is that really what a poker face means?

“You know why I called you, right?”

The door to the personal training room closed and Frondier got straight to the point.

As expected, Frontier heard the story from Edwin.

“yes.”

“Then you know why I called you to the personal training room, right?”

Personal training room.

A facility with complete soundproofing so that those who enter can fully concentrate on training.

The reason was obvious.

“It’s your last chance, Pielot.”

Frontier issued a warning.

As he said, Frontier gave Pielot one last chance.

This place was set up so that no one could hear their conversation.

“If you get caught stealing and the rumor spreads around Constel, you will have a more embarrassing time than when you were a freshman.”

Frondier’s words were not exaggerated. No matter how bad the reputation of the ‘human sloth’ was, he did not commit a crime. At least as far as Constel students know.

However, if Pielot, who is said to be the next promising star, is caught stealing, the repercussions would be enormous.

“What were you planning on doing with that? “It’s not something you can use.”

Frontier is not particularly bragging about himself. Black cloth is not a substance that can be used in battle other than Frondier.

Frontier can change the black cloth into a weapon because he can copy the blueprint in his workshop, but ordinary people have to make at least a three-dimensional blueprint to do something similar.

The reason Frontierer has installed a security device on the Black Lotus is, of course, to prevent others from using it, but it is also because he cannot handle the pouring black water if anyone other than him operates the Black Lotus.

The current Black Lotus contains an entire huge lake called the Fragment of Helheim.

“…I didn’t mean to use it.”

Pielot also knew that. He had no intention of using the Black Lotus.

just.

It was only at this point that Pielot began to speak out his honest feelings.

“I couldn’t believe my senior was so strong. I thought it was definitely the power of that necklace. I cannot accept that one person can become so strong in just one year. That’s why I tried to steal it. “I wanted to see if my senior without Heukcheon would really be strong.”

“indeed.”

Pielot’s words were not pleasant to hear from Frondier’s perspective, but Frondier calmly nodded.

Well, a person’s honest heart is usually like this. If I was going to sound clean and clear, I would have been honest from the beginning.

“Then let me confirm.”

“yes?”

With a snap

, Frondier took the necklace off his neck. He also took off his bandana and threw it aside.

“Check what it would be like if I didn’t have a black lotus.”

Because Frontier understands Pielot’s feelings.

This does not mean that we leave the wrong illusions alone.